1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to an image processing unit, a stereoscopic image display using the same, and an image processing method.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A stereoscopic image display implements a three-dimensional (3D) image using a stereoscopic technique or an autostereoscopic technique. The stereoscopic technique, which uses a parallax image between left and right eyes of a user with a high stereoscopic effect, includes a glasses type method and a non-glasses type method, both of which have been put on the market. In the glasses type method, a stereoscopic image is implemented on a direct-view display or a projector using polarization glasses by varying a polarization direction of the parallax image between the left and right eyes. Alternatively, the stereoscopic image is implemented on the direct-view display or the projector using liquid crystal shutter glasses by displaying the parallax image between the left and right eyes in a time-division manner. In the non-glasses type method, an optical axis of the parallax image between the left and right eyes is generally separated using an optical plate such as a parallax barrier and a lenticular lens, and thus the stereoscopic image is implemented.
FIG. 1 illustrates a related art patterned retarder type stereoscopic image display. As shown in FIG. 1, the patterned retarder type stereoscopic image display implements a stereoscopic image using polarization characteristic of a patterned retarder PR disposed on a display panel DIS and polarization characteristic of polarization glasses PG a user wears. The patterned retarder type stereoscopic image display displays a left eye image on odd-numbered lines of the display panel DIS and displays a right eye image on even-numbered lines of the display panel DIS. The left eye image passes through the patterned retarder PR and thus is converted into left-circularly polarized light. The right eye image passes through the patterned retarder PR and thus is converted into right-circularly polarized light. A left eye polarization filter of the polarization glasses PG passes through only the left-circularly polarized light, and a right eye polarization filter of the polarization glasses PG passes through only the right-circularly polarized light. Thus, the user views only the left eye image through his or her left eye and views only the right eye image through his/her right eye.
The patterned retarder type stereoscopic image display displays the left eye image on the odd-numbered lines of the display panel DIS and displays the right eye image on the even-numbered lines of the display panel DIS. In this instance, the left eye image does not include an image corresponding to even-numbered lines of an original image, and the right eye image does not include an image corresponding to odd-numbered lines of the original image. Therefore, a boundary portion of the 3D image is not smooth and may look like steps. The step phenomenon is known as jagging, jagness, or zigzag artifact. In the following description, the step phenomenon is referred to as jagging.